Journalist Raids In India: US Calls For Freedom Of Expression, Refrains From Commenting On Newsclick
India-West News Desk
WASHINGTON, DC – While acknowledging reports regarding purported connections between Newsclick and China, Vedant Patel, Principal Deputy Spokesperson of the State Department in a routine briefing here said the US cannot comment on the accuracy of the claims.
Indian agencies have claimed Newsclick may have connections to a Chinese operation funded through an American businessman’s network. Patel said the US was aware of these concerns.
On a question about whether the raids conducted were an infringement on press freedom, Patel emphasized, “The U.S. Government strongly supports the vital role of the media globally, including social media, in a thriving and free democracy. We raise concerns on these matters with the Indian Government, as well as with other countries around the world, through our diplomatic engagements, which are at the core of our bilateral relationships.”
He added, “We have urged the Indian Government, and we do so with other countries as well, about the importance of respecting the human rights of journalists, including safeguarding freedom of expression both online and offline.”
Before dawn on October 4, Delhi Police gathered over 200 police personnel to prepare for an extensive operation spanning more than 30 locations in Noida, Delhi, Mumbai among others, targeting NewsClick and its journalists.
Journalists Urmilesh, Aunindyo Chakravarty, Abhisar Sharma, Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, along with historian Sohail Hashmi, were released in the evening after extensive inquiries for hours.
During the questioning at Special Cell police station in Lodhi Colony, the police presented them with a list of 25 inquiries encompassing various topics, such as their international trips, involvement in protests the Citizenship (Amendment) Act at Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh, and participation in the farmers’ agitation, as per sources.
Notably, no arrests have been made during the ongoing searches primarily focused on the Delhi-NCR region.
Meanwhile, several media organizations – Foundations for Media Professionals, Network of Women in Media India, Chandigarh Press Club, National Alliance of Journalists, Delhi Union of Journalists, Kerala Union of Working Journalists, Brihanmumbai Union of Journalists, Free Speech Collective, Mumbai Press Club, Arunachal Pradesh Union of Working Journalists, Press Association of India, and Guwahati Press Club – have written to the Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud on October 4 seeking guidelines on police seizures of electronic devices of journalists.
“The fact is that today, a large section of journalists in India finds itself working under the threat of reprisal. And it is imperative that the judiciary confronts power with fundamental truth — that there is a constitution to which we are all answerable” the letter said.
The letter referred to the October 3 raids by the Special Cell of Delhi Police on the houses of 46 journalists, editors, writers, and professionals seemingly connected to the online news portal NewClick.
The media organizations further urged the CJI to evolve guidelines for the interrogation of journalists and for seizures from them.
The letter also called for finding ways to ensure accountability of state agencies and individual officers who are found overstepping the law or willfully misleading courts with “vague and open-ended investigations.” (with inputs from IANS)
Harilal
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These Journalists were on Chinese payroll. Hired by China to create disturbance in Bharat.Call them Chinese Agents
October 4, 2023Daljit (Dean)Singh
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Human rights are under severe strains in India and in many other authoritarian regimes all over the world. The current government in India have frequently violated basic human freedoms, freedom of the press, speech, religion, assembly, and the right to protest. It has assumed extra-ordinarily draconian powers to suppress most elements of peoples’ liberties and pursuits to happiness, not only at home but abroad, as well. It does not understand justice and makes little effort to understand it. It seems to have neuro-dysfunctional perceptions of the society.
October 4, 2023Ram Sanatani
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Khalistan Murdabaad.
October 4, 2023Mohanan Nair
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Your comments are contemptuous, senseless, out of rude imagination and clearly indicate as to which category you belong to.
October 5, 2023PAmin
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First NYT broke the news china payoff to influence Indian opinions. Based upon the report CBI and other investigating agency register FIR 45 ago with court. With the court permission, these agencies started to investigate the matter from all angles. Based upon collected information these traitors were arrested.
October 4, 2023My question to all who oppose arrest of these so called journalists and other media 1) Do you consider yourselves above the law? B) Do journalists have unlimited rights to act against national interests? C) If you receive money from foreign country and propagate foreign masters, where does your loyalty reside D) if you did not declare the money, is it crime or not?
No country in the world allows such kind of lawless freedom.
These Journalists are not journalists but undeclared foreign agents.
Your news paper seems to be supporting these kind of traitors in the name of freedom.
Mohanan Nair
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👌 You have said it well. Traitors must be nabbed and nipped. Freedom of expression does not mean licentiousness, Journalists have to be responsible citizens and in no way above Laws of the Land.
October 5, 2023